Row counter for flat knitting machines



May 31, 1932- w. HElNlTz ROW COUNTER FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES Filed sepi. e, 1929 2 sheets-sneek 1 MW 31 1332 w. HElNl-rz 1,860,578

now comuna Fo FLAT www@ mcmss' Filed sept. 6, 192e 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE WOLDEMAR BEINITZ, OF CHEMNITZ, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO SCHUBERT & SALZER MASCHINENFABRIK, AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF CHEMNITZ, GERMANY RDW COUNTER FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES Application leu September 6, 1929, Serial No. 390,735, and in Germany October 26, 1928.

My invention. relates to row-counters for flat knitting machines in which the machine is arrested when a given number of rows has been formed in the fabric. The row counter comprises a rotary part to which rotation and axial displacement are imparted from a mechanism connected with the drive of a flat knitting machine.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved row1 counter of this type. To this end in combination with the rotary part and a dog on the rotary part for arresting the drive of the machine, I provide a spider adapted to be displaced in parallel with the shaft of the rotary part., a claw on the spider which is adapted to engage the rotary part so as to impart axial displacement` thereto, a threaded spindle operatively connected to the shaft of the rotary part s o as to rotate therewith on which spindle al threaded sleeve connected to the spider is fitted to move so as to reciprocate the spider and means on the spider for disengaging the claw from the rotary part and the threaded sleeve from the threaded spindle. y

It has already been proposed in pattern barrels for knitting machines which are rotated and displaced axially, to provide means on the barrel which means are adapted to be inserted in a row of holes arranged along a helical line about the axis of the barrel. It

'is obvious that the accuracy of the adjustment is a. function of the pitch of such holes, and it is also obvious that the lower limit of the pitch is a function of the comparatively small diameter of the barrel. In other words, if the holes are pitched too closely the barrel will be weakened to a dangerous extent. By providing the helical support according to my invention. I eliminate the consideration of the diameter altogether because the dog may he fixed atany desired point of the helical guide so that the possibilities of adjustment are practically infinite.

inthe drawings ailixcd to this specification and forming part thereof my invention as applied to a knitting frame is illustrated diagraniinatically by way of example.

ln the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic end elevation of the knitting frame,

Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe rotary part, here shown as a cylinder, with a helical groove,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the cylinder viewed from the left in Fig. 2, and a diagram of the electrical connections,

s Fig. 4 is a section of a dog which is adapted to cooperate With the rotary cylinder, and

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the dog viewed frointhe left in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Fig. 1, 1 is an upright of the knitting frame, a is a casing on the upright in which the shaft 2 of the rotary part to be described below is mounted to rotate, 36 is a motor in the frame, 37 isa belt extending from the motor to a pulley 52 on a shaft 53, 3d is a pinion on the shaft 53, and 39 isa spur gear which meshes With the pinion 38 vand is secured on the driving shaft 12, 13 is a cam on the driving shaft, 11 is a roller` at the end of a rocking lever 9, which is fulcrumed about a pin 8 in the upright 1, and 14: is a rod which is linked to the end of the lever opposite the roller 11. The roller 11 is engaged by the cam 13 so that rocking movement is imparted to the lever 9, 10 when the shaft 12 rotates. The casing a contains the control of the counter on the shaft 2 which will presently be described. The end of an arnI 6 t-o which the other end of the rod 14 is linked, projecting from the casing.

Referring now Ato Figs. 2 and 3, 2 is a shaft which is mounted to rotate in suitable bearings in the casing a, the arm 6 being fitted to rock about the shaft 2, 7 is a pawl on the arm 6, 5 is a ratchet wheel on the shaft 2 which is adapted to be engaged by the pawl, 4 is a cylinder which is splined on the shaft 2, f3 is a helical groove' in the cylinder, 15 is a spur gear at the end of the shaft which is opposite the ratchet wheel 5, 1G is a spur gear on a. threaded spindle 17 which extends in parallel below the shaft 2, the spur gears and 1G meshing. 1S is a slide rod extending in parallel to the spindle 17, 21 is a spider which is fitted to rock and to be displaced on the rod 1S, 20is a threaded semicylindrical sleeve on the spider which is adapted to engage in the thread of the spindle 17, 22 is a claw at the upper end of the spider 21 which is adapted to engage in a groove 23 on the boss 24 of the cylinder 4, and 25 is a handle on the spider by which it may be rocked anticlockwise as indicated by the arrow in'Fig. 3, disengaging the sleeve 20 from the spindle 17 and the claw 22 from the groove 23.

27 is a rocking arm fulcruined in the frame 1 at 26, 28 is a tooth at the upper end of the arm, 29 is a threaded pin in the arm, 31 is a contact lever fulerumed atu30, 32 is a recess in the contact lever for the reception of the threaded pin 29 on the arm 27, 33, are nuts at opposite sides of the lever 31 on the pin 29, 34 is a Contact spring at the lower end of the lever 31, and 35 is a fixed contact spring which is adapted to co-operate with the spring 34.

54 is the circuit of the motor 36, 40 is a rotary switch in the circuit under the control of an arm 41 with a pull-hack spring 42, 44, 45 is a bell-crank lever which is fulcrumed on a pin 4 3 and equipped with a pull-back spring 46, and 47 is an electromagnet in the circuit of the contacts 34, 35 which is adapted to attract the lever. Its other arm 44 is provided with a catch for engaging the arm 41 of the switch 40.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate one of the dogs which is adapted to/ be inserted in the helical groove 3 of the cylinder 4. Each dog is divided at its centre and comprises two halves 48 which are tapered at their lower ends and adapted to receive a wedge 50. 49 is a pin inserted between the two halves and adapted to engage the wedge 50 with its threaded inner end. The pin is provided with the usual slotted head for the engagement of a screw driver or other instrument, so that the halves are forced asunder and against the sides of the groove 3, the head' being countersunk in the halves 48. 51 is a ridge projecting from each of the two halves and adapted .to enga e the tooth 28 on the lever 27.

n operation dogs 48 are inserted in the helical groove 3 at the points corresponding to the number of rows of the fabric at which the machine is to be arrested. The threaded sleeve 20 and the claw 22 are moved out of engagement with the spindle 17 and the groove y23, respectively, by the handle 25 on the spider 21, the cylinder 4 is moved to the end of its stroke at the right and the spider 21 is displaced on the rod 18 for a corresponding distance so that the claw 22 registers with the groove 23. Upon rotation of the shaft 12 the lever 9, 10 is rocked, causing the pawl 7 on the arm 6 to feed the ratchet wheel 5 and to rotate the shaft 2 with the cylinder 4. The rotation of the shaft 2 causes the spindle 17 to be also rotated and the sleeve 20 is displaced to the left imparting its disarm 45 of the bell-crank placement to the cylinder 4. When any one of the dogs 48 engages the tooth 28 on the arm 2T the arm is rocked about its pivot and its movement 1s communicated to the contact lever 31 which causes the contact springs 34 und 35 to engage. This energizes the inagnet 47 and causesl it to attract the arm 45 of the bell-crank lever, the arm 44 now releases the arm 4l and the spring 42 throws the switch 40 tor 36 is now without current and the machine is stopped.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

lIn the claim allxed to this speciiication no selection of any particular modification of the invention is intended to the. exclusion of other modilications thereof and the right tf: subsequently make claim to any modification not covered by the claim is expressly reserved.

I claim:

A row-counter for textile machines coinprising mechanism operatively connected with the drive of a machine, a shaft adapted to he rotated by said mechanism, a rotary part splined on said shaft, a spider adapted to be displaced in parallel with said shaft, a claw on said spider adapted to engage said rotary part so as to impart axial displace- -nient thereto, a threaded spindle operatively connected with said shaft, a threaded sleeve on said spider adapted to `engage with said spindle, means on said spider for disengaging said claw from said rotary part and for disengaging said sleeve from said spindle,

and a dog on said rotary part for arresting the drive ofsaid machine.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

VVOLDEMAR HEIN ITZ.

into its break position. The mo- 

